Fly Zone Bodyflight
Tonight I had one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life.
For my Birthday, Hayley and Chloe (two of my nieces) and my Sister-In-Law Shelley, bought me a Groupon for the Fly Zone Bodyflight.
At first, I wasn’t sure WHAT I was being given… and then I remembered that I had seen something on Rick Mercer a few years back.
Turns out they put a really high powered fan underneath a plexiglass tube, and you can “fly”!!!
(Effectively, it is like parachuting, but instead of jumping out of an airplane, you start on the “ground”, and get blown up.)
With all our busy schedules, it was tough to get an evening when we were all available, but tonight was the night.
Two words:
AAAAA…. MAZING!!!
(Yeah, I know… usually one word, but that is just how much of a wild experience this was.)
We arrived, handled the paperwork transfer, signed the disclaimer, and got a chance to watch some other video bloggers who were in the group ahead of us.
What was really amazing was watching the staff have a blast, doing flips, barrel rolls, sailing up, and swooping down.
Just like birds.
After a while, the rest of our group assembled, and we were taken into a small room with a sort of a pommel horse/vaulting box in the middle… (sorry for that ugly gym class flashback) … and we were told about the proper “flying” position, what we should TRY to do… and what the hand signals were, for when we were NOT flying correctly.
(Because of the noise from the fan engine, and the earplugs worn under the helmet, even shouted instructions would be unheard, so thus, the hand signals.)
After the quick lesson, we zipped into our flight suits, put in the ear protection, put on goggles, pulled a helmet on, and we were set to go.
Standing even a few feet away, you have no sense of the power of the fan. You just get a sense that it is loud.
You start off lying, face down, on your stomach, with your chin up, your hands in front of you, and your feet off the ground.
Then the fan starts up, and you suddenly aren’t having to hold your feet and hands up… they stay that way.
And you also suddenly notice that your stomach isn’t on the ground any more.
You’re flying !!!
For beginners, like everyone in our group, there are two instructors in the tunnel with you. One on each side. Our flight suits come with handles, so they can “guide” us through the flight… but the goal they have is to get you flying with enough stability, that you can “solo”… fly without them holding on.
Hayley and Chloe did much better than I did.
We signed up for the deluxe package, which includes two sessions of two minutes each time. (Normally a $99 value.)By our second go, each of us had figured it out a little better… (again, the girls, more than I) …but the second session was after dark, so you’ll have to take my word for it.
Below is some video Lorie shot from the first session:
And some shots taken by the folks at Fly Zone:
If you want one of the best experiences of your life, call the folks at Fly Zone Bodyflight.
They are located at 7150 Tilbury Road, Delta, BC, and are open Wednesday to Sunday.
It is both literally and figuratively… a BLAST !!!
Bean Around Books
Today was one of “those” days. Regardless of where I went, or what I did… The people immediately in front of me were beset by problems.
At the bank, there was a gent ahead of me, who was (apparently) transacting the whole year’s business for his medium-sized country.
At the pharmacy, the individual ahead of me needed some sort of celestial alignment to occur simultaneously with his purchase of a very convoluted, yet enormously precise selection of lottery tickets. Throw in a new cash register system, and you can see how I spent a fun hour in line.
A couple of other similar stops, with the same kind of “luck.” None of these events were, by themselves, remarkable. But after spending three hours, on what would (on a “regular” day) take 20 minutes, I felt I needed to stop the merry-go-round… And hit pause on the frantic for a few minutes.
As it happened, I was on Lougheed at 226th, right by a place I had been wanting to get to for a while, so I pulled in and took a breather.
Bean Around Books is located at 22626 Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge.
They sell used books, coffee, and loose leaf tea.
They offer a nice seating area, free wifi, and it looks like they support local artists (from the art on the wall.)
Dan Ruimy, who runs the place, is very knowledgable about authors, and while I was lamenting the recent passing of Robert B. Parker, (one of my favourite authors,) he was able to suggest a couple of series of books for me to try.
Add a great selection of tea blends, and my day was quickly back on track.
Whether you are looking for a caffeine pick me up… or a book you can’t put down… Bean Around Books might be the best place for you !!!
You can find more info on their website at www.BeanAroundBooks.com
NOT Okay To Use The ‘R’ Word
I grew up in Vancouver watching the Variety Club Telethon, back in the days when it was live for 22 hours straight from the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
As a natural extension of that, it made sense, when I was in my 20’s, to get involved with Variety Club… and for many years, I worked with a group of friends, who did everything from being clowns on the Telethon Morning segment, answering phones, being Ringo The Phone, running the Lobby Photo Booth, to running the Donation presentation area.
In between Telethons, we were busy most weekends, running or supporting events, and we worked and had fun with a lot of challenged and underprivileged kids and adults.
In more recent times, the Candidate I worked with in the last Federal election was mobility challenged.
Throughout my entire life, I have always hated the word RETARDED.
I don’t care if it is being applied to someone with an actual challenge, or someone referring to an awkward moment a buddy has. It doesn’t matter.
The reason this came up, as a Blog Post topic was due to George Stroumboulopoulos’ show on CBC.
The guest that Strombo had on, was Evan Sneider. An actor, who has Down syndrome… but that is a misnomer, because Evan is one of the most upbeat people I’ve seen in a long time.
I wish I could find something else on Evan, but I must borrow from Strombo’s website for Evan’s Bio:
EVAN SNEIDER
OCCUPATION
Actor
THE BIO
Every once in a while, an actor delivers a breakthrough performance that just blows you away. Jodie Foster did it in ‘Taxi Driver.’ Edward Norton did it in ‘Primal Fear.’ Here’s another name to add to the list. Evan Sneider. Only, Evan isn’t just breaking through – he’s breaking down barriers.
Evan is the first actor with Down syndrome, to play the lead in a feature film. The movie is called ‘Girlfriend’ and Evan’s performance has earned him rave reviews. In fact, during filming, he amazed the cast and crew with his ability to disappear into his character. And how’s this for praise ? His co-star Amanda Plummer – a world-class actor in her own right – calls him ‘one of the greatest actors’ she’s ever worked with.
And Evan has worked hard to get there. Born in Boston, he was determined to be an actor from an early age. In high school, he studied drama and creative writing and performed in dozens of community-theatre productions. Then in 2007, he appeared in a short film called ‘The Replacement Child’. Now, he brings all of his experiences to bear in ‘Girlfriend.’ Evan is the moral centre of the story, about a young man with Down syndrome who falls hard for a single mom.
During their interview, Evan and George got into a discussion of the ‘R’ Word… and how hurtful it is.
I couldn’t embed the video from the Strombo show, so here is the video from the R-Word website…
Please be advised, it contains some language that is strong, provocative and “Not Acceptable”
It isn’t okay to use this term…
It is derogatory, and insulting.
We’ve worked to eliminate a lot of words that are hurtful… I’m glad to see there is a campaign to help create awareness on this issue.
You can follow the R Word Campaign on Twitter, or get more information on the R Word website.
The only R Word I want to hear is on Pirate Day !!!
An Ugly Mob Is An Ugly Mob
In my last post, I mentioned that I felt I was only eligible for the job of street cleaner.
Sadly, in the wake of the Vancouver riot, it seems that a LOT of people have appointed themselves not only Judge, Jury… but potentially Executioner, as well.
For anyone who is unaware, Vancouver has enjoyed a spectacular few years, with the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the joyous crowds gathering together to celebrate the Canucks run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Until Game 7.
There was a different vibe for Game 7, which was tangible from before the Game’s start… in social media… in conversations… people were uncertain that the atmosphere would be the same as it had been previously.
I do not have enough knowledge of circumstances and situations to start to cast shadows of blame on the Police Department. Certainly, the Police have my utmost respect, for doing the best they can. Whether the VPD planners should have been more prepared for a bad situation is open for debate, in my opinion… but by better, more informed people than myself, and I am not going to wade into a conversation, when I don’t know the facts. But the individual Vancouver Police Officers have, and will continue to have, my respect and support.
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The ugliness started, and idiots, fueled by crowds of “citizen journalists” and an apparent lack of response from the authorities, strove to outdo one another with acts of bravado and vandalism. Damage a car? Sure. Roll the car over? Better. Set it on fire? Great. Pee on the burning car, or jump on it and have your picture taken? Awesome.
But there weren’t enough cars available to assuage the hunger of the crowd, so the mob, swept up in some frenzied quest for displays of their power, went to the shopping areas, where the large plate glass windows were tempting targets for their collective rage… the mannequins in the display windows suitably flammable… and the products behind the smashed glass too tempting to pass up.
The observers captured it all on the upheld cameras and cellphones.
A brave few tried to intervene, but their efforts went largely unheeded, by a crowd prepared to express and expose their power, regardless of the people watching and capturing it.
A few hours later, the cleanup began.
Both in a literal, and figurative sense.
People gathered together in physical groups that manifested themselves in the downtown area… sweeping, cleaning, scrubbing… trying to restore a sense of normalcy, and remove the scorch marks and “stains” that the city and its reputation had gained, overnight.
People also gathered together online, and began to share with the Police the photographic evidence of what they had seen.
And, as they posted the evidence online, they also began sharing it amongst themselves.
“Let’s identify this guy” “Somebody must know this girl”
Until many were (apparently) identified, and their names, cities and a short bio were being circulated.
And then it transferred beyond Social Media.
I got an e-mail from a person, who is not on Twitter or Facebook, showing three individuals, complete with photos… and their information.
Some members of the community were gathering together, and with the same frenzy, were lashing out against these vandals.
Except there was no due process.
No oversight.
No one in authority reviewing or weighing any evidence… looking at whether it might be someone who looks like them… whether they have an alibi…
None of that.
Just a “The system won’t punish them properly, so we’ll do it ourselves” vigilante-style frontier justice.
One of the people identified in the e-mail, lives a few kilometers from my house.
It was easy for me to look up, the information in the e-mail gave me the Father’s name.
EXCEPT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OR CORROBORATION THAT IT IS HIM.
And even if there was… It ISN’T my job !!!
If I was that Dad, and I found out that my family had been identified publicly by what seemed EVERY BIT a lynch mob… I would have left my house, and taken my family away… fearful that some do-gooder is going to come by and do an equally rash act, to “even things up.”
If you have photos of vandals, send them to the Police.
The Police will sift through the evidence, and if there is enough proof, pass the case along to Crown Counsel, and it will proceed through the proper channels.
If you take the law into your own hands, in my opinion you are no better than the vandals.
You have been swept up by an angry mob, bent on causing damage… and not caring who gets hurt in the process.
I am a Social Media guy.
I love that within hours of the riot starting on Wednesday, there was a group forming online to try to help make things better.
We all saw the power of talking, and gathering together, in Egypt and Libya.
However, there is also a nastiness online, called cyber-bullying.
We must be vigilant that in our efforts to help out, we do not cause more harm.
An ugly mob is an ugly mob… whether on the side of “right” or “wrong”.
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Posted 5 hours later:
And apparently many of the identified vandals and their families have received threats.
A sad day indeed…
The rioters do not represent my City…
But the vigilantes don’t represent my Social Media, either.
This Is My City
There was a Hockey Game, and after the Hockey Game, as some of us feared, a few idiots found a way to make sure the spotlight shone on them… for all the wrong reasons.
I’m a Twitter Geek, and the first tweet that made me realize the seriousness of the situation was one from George Moen, who runs Blenz Coffee, who said that three of their locations had been trashed, and they were working to find out if their people were accounted for and unharmed.
I sent him a tweet, with my hopes that his people were okay, and asking if he needed a hand on Thursday or heard of anyone needing help, to please let the twitter community know.
Mere moments after that, it became aware to me that a LOT of people were going to need help… so I grabbed my shoulder bag, and started scouring the house looking for garbage bags, work gloves and other stuff I thought I might need.
By the time I got back to my computer, I heard that someone had started the twitter account @VancouverClean, and I was able to share this project, to try to raise awareness.
And countless others were doing the same.
At 1 am, I decided to call it a night. I had a fitful night… never sleeping for more than a few minutes at a time… sad at Vancouver apparently becoming a “thug” town.
The next morning I got up at 5:30, prepared to join my wife on her daily journey from Pitt Meadows into town, uncertain what I would encounter there.
People on the West Coast Express all looked at me, as I got on in my Canucks jersey… I think a few may have thought I was mistakenly going to the game on the wrong day… but nobody said anything… just gave me furtive, grimacing looks.
On the way in, I sent an e-mail to my mid-morning appointment, apologizing for cancelling, and explaining my reason.
When I got downtown, I looked at Twitter, and the Vancouver Police Department had given @VancouverClean the go ahead to help the City crews that had been working all night. (It was feared that there might be a delay, as much of the downtown core was a crime scene, but by 7:30, all investigation was complete.)
The morning started slowly.
I started at Howe and Dunsmuir, worked my way East to Seymour, and up Seymour to Georgia. There I met up with a few guys with brooms, and we traversed further along to Nelson, where they headed towards Cambie, and I continued towards Beach. It was just after 8 am, and the few pedestrians that were out were giving me looks, as if to say… “You got caught, and are doing community service already?” So I started engaging them in conversation, as they passed me… smiling and saying “Good morning!”
About an hour, and an industrial garbage bag later, I ran into another volunteer, Sasha, who had also come downtown to help out. We worked our way back through Yaletown, towards the downtown core, picking up everything… Pizza boxes, bloody gauze bandages, blue EMT gloves, transit passes, and LOTS of cigarette butts. Broken beer bottles. Smashed plastic cups. Lots of torn up plants. Several different shoes… (each a single), and slippers (a pair). Lots of half eaten food. A lot of bags filled with sloshy liquids, that I didn’t want to investigate or guess the contents.
As it got later in the morning, the people on the street were more aware of the hundreds of volunteers, and many pedestrians were thanking us as they passed us by.
Several times we were approached by folks, who came by with backpacks filled with cold drinks for the workers.
After the ugliness of the previous evening, it was a beautiful, glorious, cleansing day. The sunshine also helped to chase away the darkness of the previous night’s events.
Some people (mostly older) stopped us and asked us if we worked for the city, and were astonished when we said no… we were just pitching in, with a lot of other people, after the previous night’s chaos. All then were quick to offer thanks and express appreciation.
The ONLY dissonant note we came across, was a tall, well dressed man, who walked by, and then walked over to talk to us… “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” “HOW CAN YOU EVEN SHOW YOUR FACES TODAY?” Well, sir, the REAL fans are NOT the ones who did this… the damage was done by drunken idiots, taking advantage of being anonymous in the crowd.” “ALL CANUCKS FANS ARE GOONS” “No, sir… we’re not. What you saw was sadly a very visible few” And then, the obvious flailing started… “YOU AREN’T GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING.” “We’ll make the downtown area cleaner, again” And the final non-sequitor arguments… “YOU STRAIGHT GUYS CAN’T ROCK A JERSEY, ANYWAY!!!” To which I was so non-plussed, I said nothing… “YOU SHOULD TAKE THAT %$#@ING JERSEY OFF… IT’S UGLY” “Sir, you need to go about your business, and try to have a good day.” He kept shouting, as he went away… and while initially angered, it became apparent to me that he was just traumatized, and saddened… and my Canucks jersey had become a symbol to him of the harsh ugliness of the night before.
But the Canucks and their true fans had no part in the chaos. There were a few doppelgangers, who disguised themselves as Canuck fans, but were really there to wreak havoc, under the guise of a public gathering… thinking that in a large crowd, they could get away with something that they couldn’t otherwise.
A lot of people are angry. This gent had it triggered by the sight of me in my Canuck jersey. Others have latched onto publicly berating (supposedly) identified vandals. For myself, I felt it best to focus on the positive aspect of getting on with the cleanup, and leaving the identification and prosecution of those responsible to those who have it in their job description. If I’m in a self appointed position, the job of sheriff wasn’t available… so I took the job of street cleaner.
As we worked through the streets of Gastown, up and along East Hastings, and back towards Robson Square, people from all walks of life and all levels of society were gracious and grateful for the efforts of the whole @VancouverClean team.
As we journeyed, along, crossing paths with other members of the clean up crew, we too would shout encouragements and whoop “Thank you’s!!!”
It was hours of very hard work… crawling on hands and knees, picking up shards of glass and cleaning the aftermath of a large unruly crowd. But it was also a GREAT day, right up there with my opportunity to run the Olympic Torch… because to me, there is a great satisfaction in working to right a wrong, and fix something that needs fixing… and this was a City working together to Exorcise a Demon.
And we took our city back from the Demon.
This is my city…
Our city…
And you will not take her over, again.
